What Does “Brokeback” Say About Friendship?

What Does “Brokeback” Say About Friendship?

Will “Brokeback Mountain,” the controversial movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as cowboys who developed a long-term homosexual relationship, lead to a change in the culture?

Some certainly hope so, thinking that the movie could lead to further normalization of homosexuality in the society. Others fear the same. Anthony Esolen is among them. Esolen fears that the normalization of same-sex relationships and homosexual sex will forever change the way young men, and boys in particular, relate to one another. Esolen understands the culture accepts homosexuality as normal, all male friendships become suspect.

In one sense, the real significance of “Brokeback Mountain” doesn’t have anything to do with cinematography. Instead, it has everything to do with our culture and the breakdown of sexual order. “Brokeback Mountain” represents something new in mainstream America—a celebration of homosexual romance on the big screen. Don’t underestimate the power of Hollywood to influence the culture.

Beyond The News Commentaries, produced daily by Salem Communications, bring concise and penetrating insight to everything from the current headlines to challenges facing the church, from our culture wars to the Middle East conflict and from Hollywood to Washington, D.C. These daily features cover politics, culture, religion and science with perspective from the sharpest minds in the Christian and conservative world today: David Aikman, Terry Eastland, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, Albert Mohler, Dennis Prager and Janet Parshall.